Biden says it’s up to Congress to decide whether it impeaches Trump

Speaking to reporters on Friday, President-elect Joe Biden said impeaching Trump is “a decision for the Congress to make. I’m focused on my job.”

Video Transcript

- Mr President-elect, while we have been here as you've been announcing your economic team, we've learned that House democrats are currently planning to introduce articles of impeachment against President Trump as soon as Monday. At that point, it'll be just a little over a week before the president leaves office. Do you believe this is a good idea?

JOE BIDEN: Look, I've thought for a long, long time that President Trump wasn't fit to hold the job. That's why I ran. And my job now in 12 days God willing I'll be president of the United States of America. And I'm focused on the urgency of three immediate concerns. One, the virus. Getting it under control, getting the vaccine from vial into people's arms. I think the way it's being done now has been very, very sad.

Number two, we've had 4,000 deaths, 4,000 deaths yesterday. And things continue to rise, to escalate. That's my number one concern, to get the virus under control. We lost over 125,000 jobs this last month. And people are really, really, really in desperate shape. And so I'm focused on the virus, the vaccine, and economic growth.

What the Congress decides to do is for them to decide. But I'm going to have to, and they're going to have to be ready to hit the ground running. Because when Kamala and I are sworn in, we're going to be introducing immediately significant pieces of legislation to deal with the virus, to deal with the economy, and deal with economic growth.

So we're going to do our job. And the Congress can decide how to proceed with theirs.

- But if a democratic member of Congress were to call and ask for your advice about whether they should proceed with this, what would you tell them?

JOE BIDEN: I'd tell them, that's a decision for the Congress to make. I'm focused on my job.